Nexus and GBV. Blackout's Kingdom, the Loess Hills, and DC. Fulfilling the Boss's Orders

[dens_extra_pups]

Blackout: *pings Jetfire and tells him she won't be sparring with him in the afternoon as planned, then closes the channel*

Jetfire: *puzzled, wonders if there's a reason, decides that there probably is, but that it's not his place to pry into Blackout's business*

Requiem: *with Apoleia, Sparta, and Dreadnought. Have Headmasters Scorponok staked out on a massive ant hill and are letting their Scorponok run all over him and pick at his wiring*

Jetfire: *raised brow ridge* What's 'is offense?

Requiem: *looks up* He blew up Cybertron.

Dreadnought: Tickle tickle! Bahaha.

Jetfire: .... 'Re ye gettin' th' ants int' 'is feet too?

Sparta: *goes and looks at one foot*

Apoleia: I don't know if they're in his feet, sir. But they're probably getting his spark compartment pretty well mapped by now.

Jetfire: *nods* Good. Carry on. *going to see if he can find someone to spar with in another part of the Nexus*

Blackout: *that's her energy reading coming from that little out of the way side canyon that he just flew past*

Jetfire: *circles around and moves to come in for a landing, is curious, but will buzz off if told to do so*

Blackout: *startled leap to her feet from where she was sitting under a vine hung overhang. Behind her a blue and red form is laying* Jetfire! What are you doing here?

Jetfire: *slight shrug* Was looking for a sparring partner... Didn't expect t' pick up your energy signature....

Blackout: *scowls, and then startles as the bot behind her moves* *stoops and puts a hand on his chest* Hush, Prime. I'm here. Rest.

Jetfire: *puzzled, hesitates* D'ye need some help?

Blackout: *looks up, plainly not happy with where she is right now as the weary mech on the ground curls against her* I wish there was help. This ninny has fixed on me as his comforter.

Jetfire: .... *raised brow ridge* 'S 'e an Exile?

Blackout: Nothing of the sort. In his reality he just killed Sentinel and Megatron. Everyone thinks he's ended the war. *you do not see that hand resting on the ninny's back as she sits beside him again, Jetfire*

Jetfire: .... *snort* Good riddance t' bad rubbish, if ye ask me....

Blackout: He saw them as kin. *contempt, frustration, and... is that pity? in her voice*

Jetfire: .... *soft rumble as he works this over in his processor*

lOptimus: *quiet murmur without waking* Blackout...

Blackout: *facepalm. Very embarrassed* Primus, I don't know what I did to slag you off...

Jetfire: *soft rumble*

Optimus: *wakes slightly and blinks blearily up at the femme sitting beside him* What... what's wrong?

Blackout: *grouchy* Go back to sleep.

Jetfire: *considering* //Soother fer th' lad?//

Blackout: *stink eye* //When you kidnap a guy, get him drunk out of his processor, and throw him on a couch, he's not supposed to come looking for you twice after that convinced that he'll die if he doesn't get a cuddle.//

Jetfire: O.o;; *trying so hard not to snicker*

Blackout: *grumbles and rubs the tired sleeper's back* We need to find him another woman.

Jetfire: Hrm...... *thinking*

Blackout: *mortified at being caught here by her brother. Wishes she could just vanish, but she's pretty sure that would just screw things up*

Jetfire: *quietly wonders out loud for a moment if that crazy human that runs the blanket factory would know of any femmes who would be interested*

Blackout: *snort* My orange brat would probably know more. But I don't want either of them to know about this.

explosions: *sound clearly in the distance*

lOptimus: *half wakes again, but then winds up using Blackout's legs for a pillow. Snuggle, cuddle, sleep*

Jetfire: *attention going to the explosions* *frown*

Blackout: Deherree and Whiteout are shooting at Toyrt-Mow as he runs through the minefield again.

Jetfire: *soft snort* *very quietly* Should I be keepin' an optic out fer a femme fer th' lad?

Blackout: //Would it work? You know how loyal these idiots are.//

Jetfire: //Won't know till we try.... 'N maybe 'f there's a lass nearly 's strong 's ye, 'e won't be so clingy....//

lOptimus: Love you... *snuggle*

Blackout: *UTTERLY MORTIFIED*

Jetfire: *not commenting! Is going to take off and see if he can't find some spitfire of a femme for the mech cuddling Blackout's legs*

Sheol and Mouse: *over by the entrance to the canyon system as he goes over, talking to a young cammo mech. Wave to Jetfire as he flies through*

Jetfire: *slight waggle of his wings, before he's gaining altitude and shooting off into the distance*

random Nexus portal: *eats him whole*

Jetfire: *startled curse over comms* *grumbles and checks his GPS to find out where the slag he is.... which turns out to be the boonies of western Iowa, near Glenwood*

passing gull: *screams at him and poops, then flies off*

Jetfire: *string of cursing at the gull*

gull: *has made its statement, and is now going to go see if it can't find someone stupid enough to throw bread at it. Preferably without drain cleaner on it*

Jetfire: *checks his PINpoint to see what reality he's in*

reality: *not one he's ever heard of before*

Jetfire: .... Th' slag.......

jets: *buzz him, demanding that he squawk ident*

Jetfire: *startled, scans the jets to see if they're friend or foe*

jets: *human vehicles, from the nearby Air Force base* *once more demand that he squawk ident*

Jetfire: *not taking any chances, will pull off a move that no human jet could ever hope to pull off at this point in time, and shoot nearly straight up into the upper atmosphere*

jet pilots: *startled cries, and one fires after him*

Jetfire: *does a barrel roll to try and avoid the shots*

jets: *follow as long as they can, but are forced to fall back and return to their base*

Jetfire: *gonna hang out in the upper limits of the atmosphere and listen to radio frequencies. The sooner he finds friendlies, the better*

satellite: *steered by someone down below on Earth. Spots him and opens fire!*

Jetfire: *curse! Works on avoiding getting hit, since he's certain he would never hear the end of it if he got himself shot by human-made weaponry*

satellite: *...says 'NEST' on the side of it*

Jetfire: *gonna try hailing the Autobot frequencies then!* //Call off yer slaggin' weapons!//

startled human voice: //Who is this?? ID yourself!//

Jetfire: //Name's Jetfire.// *doing his best to avoid being shot, and is resisting the urge to open fire and blow the satellite to slag*

human: //...Jetfire's dead.//

Jetfire: //Th' local lad, mayhaps.....//

human: *can be heard speaking away from the microphone*

satellite: *falls silent*

moments: *pass*

deep voice: //This is Optimus Prime, leader of the Autobots. Identify yourself and your intentions.//

Jetfire: //Like I tol' th' human. 'M Jetfire. 'N I ain't lookin' fer trouble, jes' try'n t' figure out where the slag th' portal dragged me.//

Optimus: //You came through a portal?//

Jetfire: //Aye.//

Optimus: //Do you know the location of the Loess Hills?//

Jetfire: //Th' hills? Aye...// *descending, and seeking out an unoccupied pond in one of the hollows* *will transmit coordinates*

Optimus: //Some of our people will be there shortly. Some of them are human. Do not feel threatened by them, they are our allies.//

Jetfire: //I's worked with humans afore.//

Optimus: //Very well. Conceal yourself as well as possible. The majority of the native population still do not know about us, and we would rather not raise a panic.//

Jetfire: //Aye.// *going to hunker down into the pond as much as he's able to, snagging several handfuls of brush on his way into the water. Thankfully, most of what sticks out of the water can be easily covered, and soon, it looks as though the pond has a muskrat lodge right in the middle*

Two hours later

ducks: *sitting and waggling tails and gossiping cozily on the 'muskrat house'*

Jetfire: *scanning and keeping sensors on alert*

big engines: *go over, followed by a thump some distance away and the beat of heavy... and very familiar... rotors*

Jetfire: *surprised* *will move to stand up after making sure there aren't any humans in the area*

sleek black Osprey: *shoots straight up*

shining golden Pav Low: *seems to snort at it before landing and cautiously transforming into a very familiar form*

Jetfire: *grumbling at the ducks as they scatter, will work on picking brush out of his armor*

golden Blackout: *watches him with wary curiosity from muddy purple optics* We are to proceed to the Air Force base in our terrestrial guises.

Jetfire: *grumble grouse, spits water out of his intakes* Lead th' way th'n.

gbBlackout: *flips neatly back into her alt mode and heads in the direction that those two human jets fell back to earlier*

Jetfire: *kicks off and transforms mid-air, engines sputtering just a bit for a few moments before he levels off and follows gbBlackout*

Osprey: *comes and buzzes him, then does the same for gbBlackout*

gbBlackout: //Don't make me shoot at you, Requiem.//

gbRequiem: *lovely voice just like her mother's, but full of rebellion and anger* //What ever, old woman.//

Jetfire: //Mind yer manners, lass.//

gbRequiem: *taunting challenge* //Who's going to make me? You?//

Jetfire: //'M considerin' 't.//

gbBlackout: //Don't #@$@#$ the @$@#@ president off worse than he already is. He's already having his evil wife say bad things about us on Oprah.//

Jetfire: //....Tha' piece o' slag woman.....//

gbRequiem: //Nobody's stupid enough to vote for them again. Pratt will win by a landslide. He's got brains.//

Jetfire: *snorts over comms, thinking of the equivalent in his reality of origin* //Tha' seems t' be th' case no matter where ye go.....//

gbBlackout: //What brains? It voted for Optimus Prime for president.//

Jetfire: *rocking as he laughs heartily*

gbRequiem: //It makes sense to me!//

gbBlackout: //Optimus isn't Earth born. Besides, he's got enough to do.//

Jetfire: //Th' Pratt Lass back 'n th' reality I used t' call 'ome did th' same th'ng....// *so amused*

gbRequiem: //...Lass?//

Jetfire: //Aye. Diff'rent realities ain't always th' same.....//

gbRequiem: //Obviously, if you're a live old fart and not Optimus' backpack that he uses to fly into the sides of mountains.//

gbBlackout: *shoots at offspring*

Jetfire: //Ye'd best hold yer tongue, lass. I may have more vorns under me belt th'n ye, but I ain't no old fart.// *warning growl in his voice*

gbRequiem: *spectacular backfire, and then dives into a hanger down there on the base before her mother can shoot at her again*

Jetfire: *steep dive that would shake apart Earth jets, pulls out of it and carefully times his stall so that he comes to a gentle stop just outside the hanger*

gbOptimus: *inside, backed against the wall, trying to fight off an affectionate young femme as Epps and Lennox kill themselves laughing and Ratchet facepalms with both hands*

Jetfire: *rolling into the hanger* *quick sweep of his scanners to make sure he'll have enough room to transform* *satisfied, he'll transform and is soon moving to assist the local Prime*

gbRequiem: No! Back off, old fart! I haven't gotten a kiss yet!

gbOptimus: *ducks away and flees to the other side of the hanger, looking relieved*

Jetfire: Ye'd best back off. Th' lad di'n't look like 'e was fancy'n a kiss.

gbRequiem: *temper flares all over her face, but she just turns away and solidly decks the little black and orange flyer who had walked up to talk to her*

gbBlackout: *boxes the younger femme's audio in passing* Hands off the Prime.

gbRequiem: *unprintable*

Jetfire: *considering what he's seen so far, is mentally comparing gbRequiem to his sister, and nodding to himself. This may work, if he can convince the youngster to come with him of her own free will.....*

Ratchet: *brushes at the old flyer* ...What did you do to yourself, mech?

Jetfire: Hid 'n a slagg'n pond.

gbRatchet: ...I'll fix you up once we're back at base. Requiem, stop kicking Solar Flare.

gbRequiem: Bite me.

Jetfire: *Look for the spitfire femme* Wh're 't?

gbRequiem: ...Huh?

gbSolar Flare: *laughing his diminutive aft off*

Jetfire: I'll give ye a bite 'f 'n ye don' settle down right quick.

gbRequiem: *suddenly hipshot and full of sass* In your dreams, old fart.

Jetfire: *calmly walks over and reaches to give the cheeky youngbot a good solid smack*

gbRequiem: *shock, and then two balled up fists and a snarl*

Jetfire: *didn't get to be the age he is by being a pushover, gbRequiem! Will snap his hand out and get you by the shoulder if you're not quick enough*

gbRequiem: *aims fists studded with spikes at his face*

Jetfire: *and with a quick flick of his wrist, he's bringing his cane out and using it to deliver swift and painful discipline*

gbRequiem: *undaunted and tries her best to give as good as she gets, but she's obviously young, and just as obviously not Decepticon trained*

Jetfire: *going to crack that cane sharply across knees, and put up a heck of a fight. He does have many vorns, has been Decepticon trained, and well-learned in the ways of gbRequiem's mech counterpart, who has taught him a good whack of circuit su moves*

gbRequiem: *soon laying on the floor. Somehow managed to get knocked out cold, though she never gave up*

Jetfire: *headshake. Expected more of a challenge, really*

Ratchet: *pats him on the shoulder* Good job. Let's get her loaded on the carrier.

Jetfire: *moves to lift the unconscious youngbot*

Ratchet: *will take one end of her, tisking as he does so* I wish there was some way to convince her to leave Optimus alone. *spoke quietly, and there is a troubled look in his optics as he speaks of his commander*

Jetfire: *quietly* I may know sumth'n tha'd help...

gbRatchet: *quirks a brow* Oh? What's that?

Jetfire: *quietly* I know 'f 'nother Optimus, back home.... 'E's taken a fancy t' me sister, but she ain't interested 'n 'im.....

gbRatchet: *frowns at Jetfire* Optimus doesn't just change his heart that quickly. *and there's an increase of that troubled expression*

Jetfire: *bluntly* At any rate, me sister c'ld straighten th's lass out...

gbRatchet: Who's your sister? *gets gbRequiem strapped down, and then glances over to where gbBlackout and Optimus are looking over a map with some of their human teammates. gbSolar Flare is nowhere in sight*

Jetfire: 'N alt 'f 'er... *nods towards gbBlackout*

gbRatchet: *expression darkens*

Jetfire: Me sister's Destron. 'N so 're th' rest o' 'er sprogs.

gbRatchet: *a bit coldly* I have no idea what that means. *finishes the strapping operation*

Jetfire: *calmly* Destrons 're bein's o' honor 'n discipline. We answer t' Primus.

gbRatchet: *flicker of confusion in his optics, but then he glances over toward the humans as Lennox calls to him to transform because they're taking off*

gbBlackout: *out the hatch and into root mode, will fly back*

Jetfire: *to Ratchet* D' ye want me 'n th' carrier?

gbRatchet: Whichever way you're most comfortable. Solar Flare, get back in here and batten down.

gbSolar Flare: *grouch grouch, obey*

Jetfire: *snorts and moves to head out of the hanger. Will transform and get ready to take off*

gbBlackout: *is already a speck on the way to Washington*

Two hours later....

gbEpps: *sitting on a crate with his elbows on his knees at the hanger at the Autobot base, staring wistfully at the wall* *has the look of a man who is missing someone very badly*

Jetfire: *as he moves to get seated comfortably* Sumth'n' troublin' ye, lad?

gbEpps: *blinks and then glances over at him* *quietly* Just missin' ol' Ironhide.

Jetfire: *slight headtilt, inviting Epps to continue*

gbEpps: *eyes boring holes in the wall again* It just don't seem right. He trusted that pink...

Jetfire: *frowns, puzzled* Pink?

gbEpps: *spits out the word like a curse* Sentinel.

Jetfire: .... *scowwwwl. He remembers all too well what the mech back home was like....* *makes a motion like spitting*

gbEpps: *quietly* Your Ironhide's still alive?

Jetfire: 'E w's th' last time I seen 'im....

gbEpps: *sighs, and then looks up as a shadow falls over him* Hey, Ratchet. No, I ain't seen Optimus.

Jetfire: *looks up as well, half expecting to have to go for repairs*

Ratchet: *looks distracted and concerned, the troubled expression strongly evident in his optics* *to Jetfire* Do you need help getting rid of the rest of that organic detritus?

Jetfire: Aye.... S'me 'f 't got stuck 'n th' seams th't I cannae reach.....

Ratchet: *absent thump to his shoulder* Alright, come along to the repair bay and let me have a look at it.

Jetfire: *moves to get to his feet, showing no signs of his true age*

Ratchet: *nods to Epps, his optics showing an answering sadness as he turns away* Well, you're in better shape than our Jetfire was. *moves toward the door to the corridor*

Jetfire: *quietly* I w's fallin' 'part afore I moved in wit' me sister... *follows Ratchet*

gbRatchet: The only Blackout I've had personal experience with was a cold and heartless individual even before Megatron's treachery. *pauses at a door and reaches to open it, but then turns his head to look to where gbOptimus is walking away down the hall. As he watches a hand snakes out from a side corridor, tagging the Prime on the butt*

gbOptimus: *squeak and whirl, then BLUSH and rub the back of his head*

gbRatchet: *abruptly shoves into his repair bay*

Jetfire: *quietly* Th' Blackout I answer t' 's 'n honorable bein'. *snerks at the expression on gbOptimus' face before heading into the repair bay*

gbRatchet: *is obviously upset as he thumps around and finds cleaning supplies* *abruptly* Who does she answer to?

Jetfire: Primus.

gbRequiem: *over on that table over there, recharging and self repairing*

gbRatchet: *checks on her before coming over to Jetfire* ...I mean her commander.

Jetfire: *seriously* Blackout answers t' Primus.

gbRatchet: *irritated* Primus is a mythical figure, thought to be the first of the Primes.

Jetfire: *scowl* Th' slag 'e 's. Primus 's th' creator 'f th' Cybertronian race, 'n even 'f ye don' believe 'n 'im, 'e believes 'n ye. *half tempted to try and bring this Ratchet to talk to Hormah*

gbRatchet: *indicates that the tall flyer should sit on the empty table* You're making him out to be some sort of god, like the tribals used to. *stops as an expression of pain crosses his faceplates at memory of Ironhide*

Jetfire: Nay, Primus ain't a god, lad..... *moving to sit* 'E's 'un 'f th' Greatest Creator's children, same 's ye, same 's me.

gbRatchet: *intakes deeply and gets hold of himself, then turns and mechanically sets to work on cleaning Jetfire up* *absently* 'Greatest Creator'?

Jetfire: Aye. Th' same 'un th't 'lotta humans refer t' 's 'God'. *slight squirm as gbRatchet gets to some of his more ticklish seams*

gbRatchet: I don't believe in sentient deities. *gruffly* I've never seen proof of their existence. Transformers were the creation of the Allspark.

Jetfire: 'N th' Allspark 'n most realities 's a piece 'f Primus' spark.

gbSideswipe: *peers in blearily* *quietly* Coolant?

gbRatchet: Blue cabinet. *opens his mouth again, and then stops and frowns deeply at Jetfire*

gbSideswipe: *over behind the medic now, chugging a cheap home brew of coolant and trying not to lean too far to one side*

Jetfire: *frowning at gbSideswipe now, and moving to get up* 'Ere, lad. Ye'd best lay down.

gbRatchet: Hey. *frowns more deeply and watches*

gbSideswipe: *lowers the bottle and blinks at Jetfire, swaying slightly* I'm... I'm good. No... [Don't need to bug Ratchet. Got enough on his plate.... slag, I just babbled that out loud.] *is very hot to the touch*

Jetfire: *frowns muchly and will risk hot plating to get the other soldier onto the table* Don' argue, lad.

gbRatchet: *gentle touch for the small silver fighter, and then sighs* *gently* You should have told me it had gotten worse, Sideswipe.

gbSideswipe: *just wibbles and shuts his optics off, still clutching his bottle of coolant*

Jetfire: *will move to sit where he won't be in the medic's way for now*

gbRatchet: *swiftly and gently tends to gbSideswipe*

gbSideswipe: *quietly* Jazz, Beachbreak, Longarm, Salvage, Elita One, Ironhide, Skids, Mudflap. We're almost... almost all gone, Ratchet.

gbRatchet: *again the pain in his face, but he just shakes his head and finishes hooking his patient to the proper machinery* We're no such thing.

gbSideswipe: ...I forgot the guys that died on Mars. *blinks and intakes raggedly* Cliffjumper and Air Raid, and those guys.

gbRatchet: *sedates him, then feeds him the rest of the coolant and grabs the cleaning stuff and heads over to Jetfire* Sorry about that.

Jetfire: *quietly* Ye ain't got sparklets... *not a question, an observation*

gbRatchet: To have sparklets you need the Allspark, or bonded sparks. And a safe place to raise them.

Jetfire: *soft rumble as he thinks*

gbRatchet: Elita One was Optimus' beloved. Ironhide loved to have Chromia put him in his place. They were the closest we had to pairs.

Jetfire: *more rumbling. Wonders to himself if Blackout or Hormah might have any suggestions*

gbOptimus: *is a startled yelp somewhere out there, followed by a rumble of alto female laughter*

gbRatchet: *spasm of anger and goes to bang his door shut loudly*

Jetfire: *frowning now*

gbRatchet: *growling and muttering as he returns to cleaning up Jetfire's workings*

Jetfire: Wh't's chew'n yer wires, mech?

gbRatchet: *shortly* Nothing.

Jetfire: *Look* Bull(&(%$.

gbRatchet: *annoyed* You sound like Sargent Epps.

something: *thumps against the door, followed by more laughter, and then a rumble of voices, one deep and one female*

gbRatchet: *looks like he just tasted cheap gas*

Jetfire: *more Look*

gbRatchet: *angry outburst* My best friends are dead, and the one that's left has lost his mind. Not that it's any of your slagging concern.

Jetfire: *frowns and glances at the door. Can clearly sense that gbOptimus has gbBlackout pinned against the door and is matching the taller femme snog for snog* .... *raised brow ridge*

gbRatchet: *is studiously NOT looking at the door even as he frets and fumes and angrily finishes up the cleaning job a little less gently than he could*

Jetfire: *unintentional growl as gbRatchet gets a bit too rough for his liking*

gbRatchet: *boxes him one upside the head* Hold still!

Jetfire: *more growl, is bristling just a bit*

gbRatchet: *stink eyes him, and finishes up the job, then turns away* You're done. *unspoken 'Go away' at the end of that*

Jetfire: *gives himself a good shake, still bristling ever so slightly as he moves to head out of the repair bay*

gbBlackout: *alone now. Stumbles slightly as the door opens, but catches herself and moves out of the way, giving Jetfire an absent and rather happy seeming nod as she does so*

Jetfire: *brief, curt nod, goes stomping off to find someplace quiet*

That night

gbBumblebee: *comes mooching into the motor pool after dropping off Sam and Mikaela upstairs, her big eyes bright and sad as she wanders past Jetfire's alt mode and goes to sit and talk to something under tarps over there*

Jetfire: *silently watching the alternate of one he had brief interactions with back in his reality of origin, wondering what the scout is up to*

gbBumblebee: *softly* Hey, Ironhide. It's me again. *sigh* We... it's not getting any better. With you and Beachy and Cliff gone, and 'Cee so changed... *leans forward, her head thunking gently against the wrapped form* Man... *static* I really wish I'd been the one too stupid to duck instead of you. How're we supposed to replace you? I mean, yeah, we have that new Blackout. But even though she's bigger... she's not you.

Jetfire: *sympathy for the young scout, though he doesn't dare reveal that he's awake and eavesdropping*

gbBumblebee: *soft pops and crackles of sorrow as her hand goes up to join her head against the shrouded mech's arm* *soft song about 'You were always there, but now you're gone' from her speakers*

Jetfire: *cycles air and lets it out in a soft sigh. He's been trying to think how to help this group of Cybertronians, and has been coming up blank* *really, this sort of thing is more Skyfire's forte....*

gbBumblebee: *up and on her feet, optics wide and white with shock* Who's there?

Jetfire: *quietly* 'S jes' me, lass....

gbBumblebee: *so confused young scout* ...Jetfire?

Jetfire: Aye.... But not th' 'un ye know...

gbBumblebee: Oh... from Blackout's old reality?

Jetfire: Diff'rent 'un fr'm tha'....

gbBumblebee: *blinks, but accepts it* Oh. Uh. Well... welcome to here. *then blinks again as she notices a little glowing point of light in his cockpit* Um... I think you caught a firefly.

Jetfire: Huh? *quick scanner sweep, looking for organic life signs*

organic life signs: *absent from the area... However his wish jar broke at some point or other, and the wishes are sitting around in his cockpit*

gbBumblebee: There's more than one of 'em. Wait... those aren't bugs. *looks up toward the cockpit with curious wonder*

Jetfire: Nay.... They's wishes.... *yes, he knows how silly that sounds*

gbBumblebee: ...Um. What?

gbBlackout: *from behind the little yellow femme* Wishes? Where did you get wishes, old timer?

gbBumblebee: *squeak! Then coughs and leans against the supporting hand that gbBlackout kneels to put on her shoulder*

Jetfire: From a gent named Scattor...

gbBlackout: Never heard of him. *watching those little bright lights with interest, but it's not acquisitive interest*

gbBumblebee: *finishes coughing and rubs her throat*

Jetfire: *moves to transform, intends to show one of the wishes*

gbBlackout: *watches him* Those are a different colour than the ones I've seen before.

Jetfire: *blink* Ye've seen wishes afore?

gbBlackout: *nods* They sold them at the bar where I was living before. Red and blue.

Jetfire: ... *amused* Did ye buy 'em fr'm a blue 'n red lad?

gbBlackout: No. The barbot had them. Only red and blue lad I've seen wears flames.

gbBumblebee: *quiet music about revving engines*

gbBlackout: *pokes her in the side and makes her squirm*

Jetfire: Ah... Hm... *considering look for the wish he managed to get out of his cockpit, will offer it to gbBumblebee*

gbBumblebee: *looks up with surprise, soundlessly moving her mouthplate*

gbBlackout: Take it, kid. You can get your vocal processor fully repaired with that.

Jetfire: *showing a rare gentleness as he offers the wish again*

gbBumblebee: *overcome by shyness and uncertainty*

gbBlackout: *takes the wish and holds it to the younger femme's throat* I wish that Bumblebee's vocal processor and communication systems could be fully repaired.

gbBumblebee: *squeak!* *is surrounded by cobalt blue sparkles!* O_O

Jetfire: *soft rumble of approval*

gbBumblebee: *hand to her throat as the sparkles die away, and then she's crying big tears* We... we should've used it for... for 'Hide... or somebody.

Jetfire: *softly* They cannae bring back th' dead, lass...

gbBumblebee: *hides her face, and then abruptly whirls, transforms, and roars away down the hall*

gbBlackout: *slowly shakes her head*

Jetfire: *soft sigh, moves to return to alt mode*

gbBlackout: *quietly* Wait. Can I have another one?

Jetfire: *back to root mode and then he's giving gbBlackout another wish*

gbBlackout: Thanks. *turns toward that tarp covered body and rips away the covering* If they need anyone it's this one. Ratchet should be able to... oh that's nasty. *studies the damage to the deceased Autobot's head, her optics slightly pale*

Jetfire: *sharp rush of air through his intakes as he sees the state that the local Ironhide is in*

gbBlackout: *shakes her head again, and then lays the wish in the middle of the frightful damage* I wish that this shell could be fully repaired. *hunkers down to watch the sparkles*

Jetfire: *making a mental note to warn the Optimus from his reality of origin about Sentinel Prime, even as he keeps watch over the shell*

gbBlackout: *straightens as the sparkles die away, and then stoops and heaves the old soldier's body into her arms, only to squint one optic and hesitate* ...Maybe this is too heavy.

Jetfire: *moves to assist with the shell* 'Ere....

gbBlackout: *lets him take it, muttering to herself quietly*

Jetfire: T' th' repair bay th'n?

gbBlackout: Yeah. *absently rubs her chest and starts out of the room, stepping around some parts that were left near the door*

Jetfire: *small nod, giving gbBlackout a slightly studious look for a few moments before heading for the repair bay*

gbRatchet: *sitting on the empty table and staring into a container of energon without much interest. Looks up and scowls* What are you doing? We're not recycling it. Put it back.

Jetfire: Blackout told me t' bring th's 'ere.

gbRatchet: *optics go white with rage as he jumps up off the table* Put it back.

gbBlackout: *from behind Jetfire* Look at his head. You can use the Allspark fragment to bring him back.

gbRatchet: *glances toward the body's head, and then stares*

Jetfire: *moving to put the body on the nearest table*

gbRatchet: *is sure that this won't work, but goes to the other room and comes back with the little tiny fragment that Sam found in his old shirt. Before he's fully back into the main bay the fragment flies out of his fingers, wings Jetfire, and vanishes into gbIronhide's chest*

Jetfire: *startled string of cursing in not only Cybertronian and English, but one of the forms of Gaelic he picked up in the Nexus*

gbIronhide: *convulses, and then lets out a bellow of remembered agony*

gbRatchet: *hurrying to restrain and talk to his friend*

gbBlackout: *hand over her chest and optics squinched with pain*

gbRequiem: *sitting up and blinking with confusion as she tries to figure out what's going on*

Jetfire: *moving to stand by gbRequiem, though he'll help restrain gbIronhide if asked*

gbIronhide: *laying back now, though he's circulating rapidly. Optics flick from the face of his friend to the others in the room as he listens to gbRatchet's relation of what he missed while he was gone*

gbBlackout: *out of the room, her gait slightly wobbly. Is going to go upchuck into one of the empty oil drums sitting in the hall*

Jetfire: *absently tracking gbBlackout, even as he stands next to gbRequiem's table*

gbBlackout: *down on her knees after emptying her tank, hand braced against the floor*

gbRatchet: *still quietly talking to and cussing at his friend. Hasn't noticed anything else*

Jetfire: *will move to check on gbBlackout then, since the medic is preoccupied*

gbBlackout: *looks up at him, her optics whitish with distress. Is very obviously sick*

Jetfire: *softly* Easy... Let's get ye lay'n down 'n rest'n.... *moves to offer assistance, even as he pesters gbRatchet over comms*

gbRatchet: *finally pops out of the repair bay* What??? *stops and frowns at gbBlackout, who is leaning heavily against Jetfire with her head hanging and her rotors drooping*

Jetfire: *sticking his chin out a bit* Blackout needs 'elp, lad.

gbBlackout: ...Alright. Don't... don't bother.... *URK!*

gbRatchet: *confused, but hurrying to help. And then he scans the ailing femme and lets out a curse of surprise and dismay*

Jetfire: *worried rumble*

gbRatchet: You're bonded.

gbBlackout: *nods* What... when you want to keep. *lifts her chin* He claimed me...

gbRatchet: Only because you messed with his mind when he was vulnerable!

Jetfire: *slight bristling out of habit*

gbBlackout: *growl* He needed me. And I don't answer to you. My boss said to help him.

gbRatchet: He didn't need to be bonded to a Decepticon!

gbBlackout: *can't aim a swing, so she urks on him*

Jetfire: *more bristling*

gbBlackout: *as gbRatchet curses and cleans up the mess, she wipes her mouth* I answer to Primus. Not to you. He said to help. I helped. And now I have someone to love and protect. If you don't slaggin' like it... *retches again*

gbRatchet: *angry, and now part of it's aimed at himself* I shouldn't be upsetting you.

gbRequiem: Chuck on him again. He's ugly.

Jetfire: *stern Look for the youngster, even as he moves to carefully and slowly lift gbBlackout*

gbRatchet: *finishes cleaning the mess so as to keep the humans safe, then helps Jetfire with the lifting. Expression shows anger, contrition, and concern*

gbEpps: *over the common channel* //Hey, somethin's got Optimus all tied in knots, 'n he says somethin's hurtin' his lady.//

gbLennox: //...He says something's hurting Ironhide too, but Ironhide's dead.//

Jetfire: *rumbling, is still bristling slightly as he helps bring Blackout into the repair bay* *to Ratchet* 'Er mate needs t' know.

gbRatchet: //Bring him back. He's needed at base. Let Arcee do the stakeout with you.//

gbEpps: //You realize Arcee's a one seater with no block heater?//

gbRatchet: //Blackout is morning sick so badly that she doesn't know which way is up, and Ironhide is ALIVE!//

gbEpps: //... You're %$&#$# me.//

gbLennox: *with a bit of anger and hurt in his voice* //....If this is some kind of joke...//

gbRatchet: //Ask Optimus to ping him if you don't believe me. He may not get a response, since Ironhide is currently resting, but he'll...//

gbOptimus: //We're coming back!//

gbLennox: //Whoa what the @$@#$@#$#@ @#$R@# @$@#$@!!!!!//

gbEpps: *shares the sentiment!*

Jetfire: *suspects he knows how gbOptimus got those reactions, will ask the mech about it later, once things have calmed down* *snickering though. Always did find it funny to hear humans cursing*

gbOptimus: *comes striding in then, his optics white. Stops by gbIronhide's table to look down at his oldest friend for a long moment, and then turns and gently cradles his mate* Blackout?

gbBlackout: ...Hate you.

gbEpps: *is that sound of upchucking into a waste bin just down the hall*

gbRatchet: *winces as he picks up the sound, and calls the human doctor. Quietly* You have twin sons, Optimus. They'll be born sometime in the next couple weeks.

gbLennox: *walked in just in time to hear that* ... Holy....

gbRequiem: *EPIC sulk. Makes faces at mother and mother's mate*

Jetfire: *reach and bappa youngster*

gbRequiem: *growls and flashes claws*

gbOptimus: Requiem. Leave. *still intent on calming gbBlackout*

gbRequiem: *so much angry rebellion*

Jetfire: *will grab the obstinate youngster by her scruffbar and haul her out of the room then*

gbRatchet: *pauses with hands spread to try just that, and then follows Jetfire out so that he can check on Epps*

gbRequiem: *struggling and growling*

Jetfire: *sternly, as he gives gbRequiem a bit of a shake* Enough 'f tha.

gbRequiem: You don't command me! *still fighting*

gbRatchet: *bridge of nose = pinched*

gbEpps: *manages to look over from being sick in the waste bin in time to see Jetfire give gbRequiem another shake* Daaaang.....

Jetfire: *being a bit more firm this time* I mean it, lass. Ye'd best settle down afore ye get hurt. *optics and expression serious*

gbRequiem: I'm a Seeker, not some kick puppy Autobot scrap! *weapons deployed*

gbRatchet: *grabs Epps and attains distance*

Jetfire: Big slaggin' whoop. *weapons deployed, and dang, that's a pretty impressive arsenal for an old fart.* 'N 'f yer a Seeker, I'm scrap metal. Ye don' got th' discipline t' be a proper 'un.

gbRequiem: *screech!*

gbBlackout: //Primus says to take her to meet her destiny.//

gbOptimus: *at the door, scowling* Requiem, stand down!

Jetfire: *sudden, dirty rotten stinker of a grin as he grabs his PINpoint and pushes the green button, still holding onto gbRequiem*

gbRequiem: *vanishes, along with the PINpoint*

gbBlackout: *sounds surprised* //Ah, I guess you still have something to do.//

Jetfire: *so surprised* //Er.... S'pose I do....//

gbOptimus: *blinking* What did you do, Jetfire?

Jetfire: *over gbEpps' surprised cursing* Sent 'er t' see me sister.

gbRatchet: *cautiously walking back, gbEpps now on his shoulder* Your sister? That other Blackout you were talking about?

gbEpps: What the %&$&#%#^ was that light, man?

Jetfire: *answering gbRatchet first* Aye. 'N alternate t' th' lass' mother. *back to gbEpps* PINpoint. Takes ye anywhere ye got coordinates 'n permission t' go t'.

gbOptimus: *as the human looks at him. Nods* Yes. That is how we returned to base.

gbEpps: .... *obscenity*

Jetfire: *amused snort*

gbRatchet: And what is that light? *points to the wish that seems to be creeping up the side of Jetfire's chest*

gbOptimus: *frowwwn*

Jetfire: *catches the wish* It's a wish.... Got 't from a friend 'f mine...

gbOptimus: ...A wish? I do not understand. *looks over his shoulder as Ironhide grumbles somewhere behind him*

gbRatchet: *forgets about lights and pushes past his commander to check his patients*

Jetfire: *as he watches gbRatchet head into the infirmary* It's 'ow th' ol' rustbucket's shell got fixed up.... *will offer the wish to gbOptimus for the Prime to inspect*

gbOptimus: *leans forward slightly to scan that little point of light* ...But what is it? I do not recognize this energy.

Jetfire: *slight shrug* Dunno what 'tis exactly, jes tha th' bloke what gave it t' me's some kinna Fae.....

gbOptimus: Fae? Arcee, stop trying to kill Sideswipe. We still need him.

gbArcee: *stops, fuming*

gbSideswipe: *keeps going!*

Jetfire: Aye... Guardian Fae..... *half-watching gbArcee and gbSideswipe*

gbOptimus: Ah. Swindle co?

Jetfire: *headshake* Scattor.

gbOptimus: *pokes cautiously at the wish, and then steps back and deploys his sword as it suddenly dissolves into a rain of red and blue sparkles*

gbArcee: *as she's enveloped* What the...!!!

Jetfire: *curious to see what was wished for*

gbOptimus: *pushes past the old Seeker to snatch his female teammate out of the unfamiliar lights, then stops short and stares gobsmacked*

gbArcee: *has legs. Also has startled hands to her chest*

gbOptimus: ...What?

soft female voice: *from behind Jetfire* Does she need medical assistance?

Jetfire: *looks over his shoulder*

pretty white femme: *standing there with the hand of a taller mech on her shoulder and holding her back. Is wearing medical and rescue symbols*

gbOptimus: *blinks* *slowly* ...First Aid? Hot Spot? *looks at the others with them* And your team. ...How? What... the wish? *looks at Jetfire*

gbRatchet: *from inside, as Epps laughs uproariously* Oh good grief!

gbIronhide: *happy rumbling somewhere in there*

Jetfire: *as his attention goes back to gbOptimus* Looks like 't......

gbOptimus: *quietly, as he turns and looks at the pale blue femme cuddled in Ironhide's arms and kissing him silly* Then... they are supposed to be gone.

gbRatchet: *yell of sheer surprise from inside the repair bay about then!*

Jetfire: *quietly* Then maybe 'tis sumth'n else..... 'Cause th' wishes cannae bring back th' dead......

gbEpps: *from in the repair bay* *startled and happy string of obscenities*

gbLennox: *booking his way back inside* Epps? Ratchet? What is it? What happened?

gbRatchet: He... Beachbreak!

gbOptimus: 0_0 But he... I saw him go over the falls! *turns and hurries inside himself*

Jetfire: *headtilt, will look into the repair bay as well... and wonder to himself how he's supposed to get home if the Requiem from this reality has his PINpoint* *soft snerk as he sees the knitted patchwork blanket covering Beachbreak and the pillow under the little bot's head* *knows where the mech was*

gbRatchet: *over his surprise. Has set gbEpps on the floor and is speaking soothingly to Beachbreak as he scans the young mech. He doesn't notice as gbOptimus suddenly staggers slightly as sparkles break out around him briefly*

Jetfire: *sees gbOptimus stagger* *moves to wordlessly offer support*

gbLennox: *worried* Optimus? What did you get?

gbOptimus: *gives his human friend a stunned look, and then passes out*

gbEpps: ...Drunk?

gbLennox: *swap!*

Jetfire: *has a hunch, will move to carry gbOptimus over to gbBlackout's table*

gbFirst Aid: Here, let me help you.

gbRatchet: *head snaps up at sound of her voice. Intense 'OH SLAG' expression*

gbFirst Aid: *as she checks over the Prime she's got a serene little smile on her pretty and gentle face* This looks like a bond that's in the last few solar cycles of settling.

gbBlackout: *is laughing soundlessly and much*

Jetfire: *glances to gbBlackout, brow ridges raising slightly in question*

gbFirst Aid: *scans that femme* And your bond looks the same... though I don't understand how you have twins this old already.

gbBlackout: It's a normal, healthy spark?

gbFirst Aid: Yes. ...Why do you ask?

gbBlackout: Because when I came out of the hatchery the old Primus Servant prophesied that I'd carry princes for an enduring dynasty. I wound up the servant's apprentice, and when Sentinel Prime killed his sons and declared himself emperor it meant that he had Thundercracker and Flatscan operate on my spark so that just being close to a male would result in it budding. That's how I got the daughter that I just sent to her destiny. And it's why Sentinel Prime died.

Jetfire: *doesn't seem to realize that he's now bristling enough to look a bit puffed up, much like an angry cat*

gbBlackout: *quietly, as she looks at her lone small gun* The only person I will ever kill.

Jetfire: *making note to send the Optimus of his reality of origin a warning about Sentinel Prime* *gives himself a good shake and rattles armor*

gbFirst Aid: *startles at the rattle and looks up at him, then turns her gaze back down to the femme on the table* *quietly* ...Oh.

gbRatchet: *chasing gbIronhide and Chromia out of the repair bay so that he can put gbBeachbreak on their table. Has a sober expression on his face*

gbEpps: *from the hall* Think I like the white fire truck better than the last one we had.

gbLennox: *really isn't sure what to say here. Isn't really sure he's not dreaming*

Jetfire: *quietly* 'N those what came back.... Primus brought 'em back?

gbBlackout: Beachbreak wasn't dead.

Jetfire: Aye, I figgered..... Tha tarp 'n pillow're from th' lass 'n th' Nexus what makes 'em fer our kind.....

gbBlackout: *slight smile* And the Protectbots were living at the same space station I had been till Optimus brought me here.

gbFirst Aid: *nods confirmation of that*

Jetfire: .... *soft, amused snort, before he glances towards the door, wondering about the blue femme that got chased out*

gbBlackout: Ironhide was dead, but not passed. Ratchet brought him back with the Allspark shard.

Jetfire: Aye, I recall tha'.... But what 'bout th' femme?

gbRatchet: Chromia was already here, though she hasn't worn that body for some time. She's Arcee's sister. *more quietly* And Elita's.

Jetfire: *quiet* Ah....

soldier: *comes running in* Major! That new Autobot woman has Sideswipe tied to the wall in the motor pool and is going to take a whip to him!

gbLennox: What??

soldier: Parker told them it was fun.

gbLennox: *goes running for the door* I'm going to burn that guy's entire library.

gbRatchet and First Aid: *watch the humans go, looking very confused*

Jetfire: *also very confused, but curious to see just what's going on. Will move to head out of the repair bay*

gbIronhide: *as Jetfire get near enough to hear* This does look like fun. Give me the whip, Blades.

gbSideswipe: What? No! Not Ironhide! AHHHH!

portal: *eats Jetfire and spits him out into the canyon down beneath the front door*

Blackout: *looks up from dripping honey onto Headmasters Scorponok's face and grins at brother*

Jetfire: *rattles his armor a bit* Where's th' lass? *wants his PINpoint back*

Blackout: Tucked in by the nuisance. *pours a bit of the honey into the captive's optic* I had to beat some sense into her before she'd listen.

Scorponok: *nomming his nasty alt's toes!*

Jetfire: *snort, considers, decides he'd rather watch the current entertainment, and that he can get a new PINpoint later* Got any more 'f th' honey? *dirty rotten grin*

Blackout: *offers him the jar, and then nods to Requiem as the young mech offers Jetfire the missing PINpoint*

Jetfire: *nods to Requiem as he accepts both PINpoint and honey jar. Will make designs that say 'Loser' and 'Slaarg-Kisser' on Headmaster Scorponok!*

Sparta: *going to see if he can't fill some of those designs in with this pink sand...* >D

Toyrt-Mow: *off in the distance* Hail Blackout!

minefield: *as Deherree and Whiteout try to steer the little silver psychopath onto a mine* *BOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!*

Jetfire: *still chuckling as he settles down to spend a quiet evening at home with the family*

((written with random_xtras))